We have a wild plant area in the space where the garden used to be. It started a couple of years ago when my interest in wild edible, medicinal & useful plants outgrew my interest in domestic horticulture. It's still fenced off, but I just let it go. I was more excited to see what undomesticated species would naturally spring up than I was to re-plant and maintain a garden. A few things have stuck around from garden days. Raspberries, a couple of peas, oregano, dill.
So, what wild plants have shown up?
Burdock, wild lettuce(s), wild carrot, daisy fleabane, chicory, curly dock, dandelions, spearmint, peppermint, ground ivy, peppergrass, violets, yellow sweet clover, red clover, wintercress, prunella, lady's thumb, plantain, bladder campion, goldenrod, bull thistle, some other stuff I don't know about yet...
All these plants are great for food, drink, maintaining good health, improving bad health, fiber/cordage, shelter & more.
What else does my wild patch do?
It provides habitat for birds, bees and other critters (such wonderful company). It lets me see how different plants develop and interact thoughout their life cycles. It makes it easy for me learn new wild plants and become more familiar with old ones right here at home. It gives me lots of good stuff with no investment on my part!
Try it. Pull up some of that grass and let the land go nuts, or let a portion of your garden go wild. Fence it off if you like. A makeshift fence like mine will do. Introduce plants from other wild areas by transplanting them directly, collecting seeds & cuttings or by adding a mess of soil from some other wild area which is bound to have some interesting seed in it. Get a wild plant guide, find some pages online to help you identify your plants or hire me.
You'll begin to look at landscapes in a whole different way as you become more familiar with the plants in your patch. Fun times.
Contact Jason at 313-258-1401 or newcultureearthskills (at) gmail (dot) com for more info or to make plans.
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Did you know that plantain is real good as is to help heal even a deep cut. I've used them several times, and each time: no infection, the bleeding stopped quickly, and it healed very well and amazingly fast.
ReplyDeleteI would use a few leaves, dust them off or wash them if possible, clean my wound (if possible) under tap water, or in a stream. Then I'd place them upside on the wound and just tape them there. Tadam!
Yup! Plantain is great!
ReplyDeleteThe more I learn about these plants, the thinner the line gets between food and medicine. Lots of overlap. I have begun using the phrase "food AS medicine."
Keep connected to the natural world, good buddy!